Susan B. Anthony Dollar (1979 - 1999)

Overview

The Susan B. Anthony dollar (SBA dollar) is among the most significant coins in United States coinage history. This coin was the first one the United States ever produced to honour the well-known women's rights activist Susan B. Anthony, therefore depicting a real woman. Though it was only in circulation for a somewhat short time, the SBA dollar remains an interesting collection with great historical relevance.

Because the Eisenhower Dollar (also known as the "Ike Dollar") was modelled after the dimensions of a standard silver dollar, it was so large that it was difficult to carry around. This large size, however, meant that the Eisenhower Dollar had limited utility outside of slot machines. A solution to this problem was intended to be provided by the Susan B. Anthony Dollar. With the support of the vending machine industry in the United States, the United States Congress gave its approval to produce the coin. The United States Mint then tasked Chief Engraver Frank Gasparro with the responsibility of designing a design that would honour Susan B. Anthony, an American suffragette.

• • Susan B. Anthony's picture is shown on the obverse of the coin, facing to the right. Stars are depicted to the left and right of the coin, while the phrase "IN GOD WE TRUST" is located near the right border. ABOVE is the word "liberty," and below is the date.
• • The reverse is a modification of the pattern that was initially used on the Eisenhower dollar in 1971. It depicts an eagle landing on the moon, with the earth and E PLURIBUS UNUM located above it, and the text UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ONE DOLLAR surrounding it.

As a result of the necessity for a smaller and more practical dollar coin to replace the Eisenhower dollar, which was thought to be excessively huge and cumbersome, the Treasury Department gave its approval to the Susan B. Anthony dollar. In 1979, the SBA dollar was introduced to the market because of the Coinage Act of 1978, which led to its manufacture.

Philadelphia (P), Denver (D), and San Francisco (S) were the three mints that were responsible for producing the SBA dollar each. (1979-P) A type that is less common and has a date that is located closer to the rim than is typical. (1979-S) and (1981-S) The San Francisco Mint manufactured special proof copies of coins for collectors, and these coins were designated with the S Mintmark. Only Philadelphia and Denver were responsible for the minting of the 1999 Series coins, and their circulation was restricted to a small number.

As the demand for the product began to decrease in 1981, production was finally stopped. Following a break of eighteen years, the year 1999 saw the production of forty million additional pieces being manufactured.